Lineman&#39;s protective device



Jan. 22, 1935. J. D. BEEBE LINEMANS PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed Oct. 1, 1931 Jbhn .F'EEEbE f7 Patented Jan. 22, 1935 1 93 435 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINEMANS PROTECTIVE navror:

John D. Beebe, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F.

Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 1, 1931, Serial No. 566,295

2 Claims. (Cl. 173-28) This invention relates to linemans protective surfaces of the slit are caused not only to be devices, particularly insulating sleeves, such as held in contact but also to be resiliently pressed are used for protecting linemen from electrical against each other, thereby effecting a further conductors. safeguard against creeping of water into the 5 The chief objects of the invention are to prointerior of the sleeve and assuring complete en- 5 vide for effective protection of the lineman closure of the conductor by the insulating rubber. against electrical shock, with simplicity in the This may be effected by vulcanizing the rubber application and removal of the protective device, with a portion thereof in a relatively distorted to prevent dangerous migration of water into the shape so that in the final article the rubber, by

device, and to provide simplified procedure for its tendency to resume the shape of vulcaniza- 10 attaining these objects. tion, is caused to press the contacting surfaces of These and further objects will be apparent the slit together. from the following description, reference being For example, referring to Figs. 3 and 4, a cylinhad to the accompanying drawing, in which: drical body element 20 of this embodiment may Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a be curved to the cylindrical form of Fig. 4, and 15 conductor having mounted thereon a protective after severing the tube longitudinally at 21, it" sleeve embodying the invention in its preferred may be assembled with the lower portions 2-2, 22 form. of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 3. '.The assembly Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of the sleeve may be conveniently eifected upon a mandrel of of Fig. 1. relatively larger diameter than that of the tube of 20 Fig. 3 is a view irrfcross-section of a modified Fig. 4, and by rabbeting the mating margins of form of sleeve. the parts, as at 23, and uniting the parts by nieans Fig. 4 is a view in-cross-section of a part of the of a vulcanizable cement, preferably under heat sleeve of Fig. 3 in a stage of manufacture. and pressure, a strong seam may be made without 25 Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the objectionably affecting the dielectric or the re- 25 sleeve of this embodiment, indicated at 10, is silient properties of the sleeve. Due to the tentubular in shape and is of flexible and resilient dency of the wall portion 20 to resume the shape dielectric material, preferably rubber composiof its original, smaller diameter, the portions 22 tiqn. At its lower portion the sleeve is preferaare pressed together resiliently along the wall go bly thickened, as at 11, 11, to provide a presurfaces of the mounting slit indicated at 24. dominance of weight in this half of the sleeve for Preferably the final relationship of the portions causing this portion to hang lowermost when 22 and the body 20 is such that in allowing the the sleeve is mounted upon a conductor, as shown sleeve to close about the conductor the portions in The Sleeve is formed at its thickened 22 will first contact near their outer margins, as

Portion with lohgi'flldinfll Slit 12 extending shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and then progres- 35 through the sleeve wall for mounting the device sivgly toward t body l t, so t full P and removing it from the tact will not be prevented by local pressure, as Sleeve is preferably formed with a pair of down would occur if the shape were such that the first wardly projecting lips which define contact occurred close to the body element.

tween tapering ,waned entrance to the slit In order that the resilient force of the body 20 40 1 115285353231? iifiiitit rotii 52553;. 3552 in were the Portions 22 together bases sleeve by dripping of the water therefrom. or fi mazgms y not cause a i apart.

. The slit 12 may, according to the invention, be at t ou er F as resu 0 e substantially non-devious between the sleeve walls Sure bfemg aPPhed at the other or the 45 to facilitate easy and quick mounting and the sa d portions preferably are given concave moval, and for preventing water from creeping shape m CIOSS'SeQtIOn as shown in through the slit from below by surface migration, 8- and stlfiness of the portions 22 1mm capillary attraction, or otherwise, and for inter- D t0 DOlht fl fl y 0f the Structure is S0 rupting capillary attraction between the wall sur- Ordinated, as by being p p rly gradua n 50 faces of the slit, these wall surfaces are formed thickness, with the curvature of their adjacent with longitudinally extending grooves orrecesses concave faces and with the resilient force of the 14, 14, body 20 as to provide, as nearly as possible, the

Preferably, the sleeve is so constructed that by same pressure per unit area throughout the conthe resilience of portions-of its material the wall cave contacting faces 240, the cloflng of the slit in 55 this construction being efiected progressively from its lower end to its upper end.

As in the first embodiment, the adjacent surfaces may be formed with grooves, indicated at 25, 25 to facilitate manual separation of the M11? faces by interrupting capillary attractionoi' these surfaces, these grooves serving also as a safeguard against creeping of water as has been explained heretofore.

A sleeve constructed according to the invention has the advantages of being easily and quickly mountable on and detachable from a conductor and at the same time of having provision for efiectively interrupting the creeping of water through the mounting slit, which is important in securing adequate protection of the lineman against shock in wet weather.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is hereinafter claimed. p t

a. What is claimed is: 

